For example, Japanese examined utility model application publication No. H6-17345 discloses a conventional electronic device having a housing in which an interface component such as a connector is attached to face a through hole (opening) formed in the side wall of the housing. The connector is supported between a pair of supporting members (locking claws) provided on the bottom wall of the housing.
Besides, there have been known electronic devices, such as notebook personal computers and personal digital assistants (PDAs), having a flat housing in which a component retainer such as a battery retainer is formed in such a manner as to partly cut out the side wall of the housing. A component such as a battery is removably attached to the component retainer. The component retainer is spatially separated from the inside of the housing by a partition.
In an electronic device having a housing in which a component retainer is formed in the side wall of the housing as described above, a component is held in the component retainer. Therefore, an interface component cannot be provided. This is likely to limit the layout of the interface component in a region along the side wall in which the component retainer is formed.
Besides, in the conventional electronic device in which the interface component is supported between the supporting members, it is required to secure a space for the supporting members. Accordingly, the interface component cannot be arranged close (adjacent) to a component retainer by the space for the supporting members in a region along the side wall in which the component retainer is formed. This also is likely to limit the layout of the interface component.